Terrorist plot treated mildly by US law enforcement and media

by Sound Vision Staff Writer

"A podiatrist"

"A Florida doctor"

"A foot specialist"

These are just some of the ways that Robert
Goldstein, 37, has been described by the mainstream media, from the New York
Times to ABC News to CNN. He has not been called a "Jewish terrorist" or other
similar terms for his plan to blow up 50 mosques and an Islamic education center
in his native Florida.

Goldstein was arrested on Saturday at his
home in Seminole and taken to Hillsborough County Jail. He has been charged
with possessing a non-registered destructive device and attempting to use an
explosive to destroy Islamic institutions.

Law enforcement officials found a list of
about 50 mosques and Islamic centers in the Tampa and St. Petersburg area and
elsewhere in the state during a search of Goldsteins home, as well as
an 11-point plan for attacking an Islamic education center.

They also found hand grenades, a 5-gallon
gasoline bomb with a timer and a wire attached, a cache of weapons,.50-caliber
machine guns, and sniper rifles, among other terrorist paraphernalia which was
enough, according to the police, to "deal with a small army" and to "blow up
the whole 200 townhouse complex" where Goldstein lived.

Interestingly, Goldstein's religious background
was not brought up by any major news organization except ABC News on its website,
which mentioned, in the very last paragraph of its article that, (Detective
Cal) "Dennie said he did not know if Goldstein is Jewish and other officials
would not comment or did not return phone calls."

Of course, not one Jewish organization in
America has condemned the actions of this person.

The benign treatment Goldstein is receiving
at the hands of America's journalists and editors is unethical. Had the tables
been turned and it was a Muslim perpetrator possessing this much firepower and
planning to attack Christian and Jewish holy places, he would not be called
"a smart guy" who had lost his marbles.

But the media isn't the only one treating
Goldstein with kid gloves. Law enforcement officials are giving this case the
brush off. It was, after all, Detective Cal Dennie who described Goldstein as
"a smart guy" and said "he knew his stuff. It was just like a James Bond thing."
Goldstein is being considered a psychiatric case, since he was placed in custody
under a state law that allows involuntary commitment for psychiatric evaluation.

Had Goldstein been Muslim, he would be considered
crazy, but not crazy enough to merit evaluation. Instead, he would be jailed
in a maximum security facility, with secret evidence used against him or no
access to attorneys. Goldstein is receiving far better treatment than the hundreds
of individuals who have been arrested on small visa violations since 9/11 and
deported still wearing shackles and handcuffs on 24- to 48-hour long flights
back to their country of origin.

Local and federal authorities have also
not informed Florida's Muslim community about what the police are doing to find
possible accomplices in Goldstein's plot. In a note outlining his plans to attack
the education center, Goldstein referred to accomplices, even naming one as
"Mike" and offered this advice: "hand to hand is unlikely, but be prepared to
liquidate (Muslims) up close."

If this was a planned attack against churches
and synagogues, the police would not consider it a "James Bond thing". It would
become part and parcel of the "war against terrorism". Perhaps this is why US
Attorney General John Ashcroft has not made any statement condemning this incident
or announced that law enforcement is looking for the other accomplice.

Could Robert Goldstein be tied to the Jewish
Defense League (JDL), whose leaders were charged in December 2001 for attempting
to bomb a mosque in Los Angeles and the office of Arab-American US Congressman
Darrel Issa? Maybe. But given the mild treatment Goldstein and his planned terrorism
are receiving by the media and law enforcement, it's unlikely either of these
groups will bother trying to find out whether this is the beginning of a terror
campaign against Muslims in America.

Your Comments

Ali Williams, USA -
wrote on 10/27/2002 1:36:27 PM
Rating: Comment: Thank you so much. This article should reach the regular americans, please try your best to publish it in other American news media.

Gulam Mustafa Khan, New York -
wrote on 9/16/2002 9:10:58 AM
Rating: Comment: This information is true . Every muslim and peace loving person in America should write to President Bush about it and request him to deal with it appropriately and to protect and guard muslims in US.

ibraahim, London -
wrote on 9/8/2002 2:01:09 PM
Rating: Comment: his not torroreist his a member of muslim who study

Dige, London -
wrote on 9/8/2002 12:50:35 PM
Rating: Comment: God, bless, Muslims if what happened is true America & Jews must consider them self as terrrorist.

sumayya, nigeria -
wrote on 9/6/2002 8:10:13 AM
Rating: Comment: If what happened about Golstein is true then it will be very difficult for the world to tame terrorism. in other words if some gruop of are treated mildly just because they are gentile then we live to have alot of casualities

MIBSQU, Australia -
wrote on 9/1/2002 1:52:27 AM
Rating: Comment: Oh, my God, I can't believe this unjustice is happening in USA under a great ledership of Business graduate BUSH.

Geedi, Somalia -
wrote on 8/31/2002 12:37:43 AM
Rating: Comment: Without any regards with their plain super-terrorism, Jews as President Bush already suggested are "men of peace". So, if one is a terrosrist, the #1 criteria is to be a Muslim first, and if not, the 'terrorist-labelling' doesn't apply to you anymore. Unfortunate, isn't it? But remember this is "Zionist-colonist-America" you're dealing with!!!

kamila, algierd -
wrote on 8/30/2002 5:49:27 PM
Rating: Comment: do you blame people for attacking us when we give them the weapons to use against us? muslims especially in he u.s should take a storongr stand with the authorities on this issue and not wait for information to be sent to them.

Atika, Sokoto,Nigeria -
wrote on 8/30/2002 2:43:03 PM
Rating: Comment: This further confirms to me that : To qualify as a terrorrist you have to be a Muslim !

Mustapha, Nigeria -
wrote on 8/30/2002 2:29:24 PM
Rating: Comment: Where are those "Moderate Muslims" who supported, joined or participated in the "war against terror"?Is this additional evidence enough to prove to you that this is not a "war against terror" but a WAR AGAINST ISLAM ? Or do you still need more evidence? Shame on you!!

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